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Now Open: Vegan and Keto-Friendly Modern Mexican at Tocaya Organica in UTC
The Backstory
Tocaya Organica opened their first San Diego location in the Gaslamp District last summer and has since garnered a loyal following for their fresh, plant-based Mexican dishes. They use all organic ingredients and are focused on sourcing sustainably and locally, as much a possible. Their menu that has plenty to choose from for vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, and keto diners. Their newest location opened this week in the Westfield UTC mall.
The Vibe
The décor of Tocaya Organic is the same airy beach house feel as the downtown location, providing perfect Instagram backdrops for their colorful dishes.Sea foam accessories adorn grey tables while copper stools look out into the mall across the natural wood bar. The 3,891 square-foot UTC location also has a standalone bar and an outdoor patio.
The Food
Tocaya menu is described as being inspired by traditional Mexican recipes, which are served in the form of salads, bowls, burritos and tacos. While all dishes are plant-based, carnivores have the option of choosing from a large menu of grass-fed meat, free-range chicken, and fresh fish add-ons.
One of their newer menu items is the Keto Bowl made with Spanish-style cauliflower rice, sautéed tri-color peppers, avocado, sautéed garlic brussel sprouts, roma tomatoes, black olives, arbol salsa, and a choice of protein and cheese. Other bowls are built on beds of cilantro-lime rice, quinoa, and lentils with creative toppings like jalapeno slaw, roasted sweet potatoes, and a seriously good cilantro-curry salsa.
The salads have bases ranging from chopped lettuce to tostada to quinoa and kale, and topped with tons of fresh veggies, beans, and optional proteins and cheeses, they are as light or hearty as you want to make them.
Light is not generally what I’m in the mood for, so the standout for me was the massive fajita burrito.
Wrapped in a flavorful jalapeno tortilla, this burrito is stuffed with sautéed peppers, onions, black beans, cilantro lime rice, vegan chipotle crema, guacamole, and pico de gallo. I added carne asada and jalapeno jack cheese for a formidable meal that I was only able to get through half of.
If you’re feeling extra indulgent, they also have a lineup of desserts made with vegan ice cream, like the Waffle Ice Cream Sandwich for which vegan vanilla ice cream is stuffed between two churro waffles and drizzled with chocolate sauce.
Pro tip: Don’t miss out on the plantain chips. Order them with a side of guac.
The Drinks
The bar serves beer and wine, but their “farm-to-glass” margaritas are the real stars. My favorite was the passion fruit margarita, which was a balanced, refreshing drink that was more tart than sweet.
Visit the New Tocaya Organica
UTC Westfield Mall
4301 La Jolla Village Dr #2003
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11AM–9PM; Friday and Saturday, 11AM–10PM
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